Walls
by Wewereinfinite13
Summary: "The higher you build the walls around you, the harder you fall for the person who manages to tear them down." A story of the hectic life of a few high school students, their relationships, and the troubles they have along the way. A One Direction story.
1. Chapter 1

Colleen's POV

It was a normal Tuesday night.

I had just gotten back from rehearsals and was now situated on my bed, surrounded by school books.

Instead of writing an essay on the history and characteristics of post-modern literature that was due tomorrow, I was on my laptop, scrolling through my Tumblr dashboard.

Suddenly, my cell phone rang by my side.

I checked the caller ID and read 'Sabsizhott'.

This is why you must have hands on your own phone at all times, Colleen.

"Hello," I answered.

"Oh. My. God," was her slow response.

"What? What happened," I asked, confused at her dramatic greeting.

"You know how Liam's dad runs the soccer team," she asked. I suppressed a laugh at a certain meme on my dash, but replied a simple, "Yeah."

"Well his dad had him drop off some forms to my dad while I was home. In my pajamas. He saw my fuzzy Hello Kitty pajamas! This is a situation!"

I couldn't hold back my laugh this time.

My best friend Sabina had a huge crush on this guy named Liam Payne.

The funny part is that Liam has been my best friend since we went to preschool together when we were three years old.

I deal with her obsession on a daily basis, convincing her that Liam's just a guy. She shouldn't be worrying about this.

"Sabs, you're over reacting. Liam probably didn't care. In fact, I bet he thought you looked cute."

I heard her groan through the phone.

"Bean, don't worry. I know that he likes you. You need to stop freaking out over stuff like this. You're going to give yourself gray hair."

She sighed rather loudly and said, "I know, but you make it sound so easy. Just because you've known him since you were little doesn't mean

I'm as comfortable around him as you are. I really like him!"

I sighed.

That was just brand new information.

"I know you do. Just take a deep breath and try not to over think it.

I have to go. This essay isn't going to write itself."

"Shit! I forgot about that. Ugh, I've got to go, babe. I'll talk to you later."

We said our goodbyes and I set out to start this stupid essay.

I opened a new tab on my laptop and brought up Google. I barely typed anything in the search box before my phone started to ring again. I checked the caller ID and let out a short and rather loud laugh.

'LiamPayneTurnsMeOn' was calling.

Great.

"Hi, Liam," I greeted.

"I'm coming over," was his reply.

"Uh . . . what do you . . . I . . . fine. I'm in my room," I stuttered in response.

He was so polite.

"You're the best, Col." I could hear the smile in his voice.

"I know," I said before hanging up on him.

He did this to me all the time. He just showed up at my house. Just because he lived next door didn't give him the right to-

"Collleeeeeenn! You need to help me!" My thought was interrupted my

Liam moaning in my ear, as he suddenly barged through the door and jumped on my bed.

He was lucky I didn't have anything laid out on that side, or I'd have to kill him.

"It's lovely to see you too, sweetheart," I said sarcastically. He smiled at me cheekily.

"I went to her house today," he told me; dropping his voice even though we were the only ones in the room. "I know," I told him calmly.

I watched as his brow creased in confusion.

"I don't only have to deal with your never-ending lovesickness. She vents to me just as much as you do. This little triangle thing you guys have trapped me in needs to end. Make a damn move already!"

He looked down and fiddled a loose string on my sleeve.

"I know, I know. I just haven't found the right time. I've really liked her for a long time, and you know that. I just want it to be perfect. She makes me nervous, but kind of in a good way. Is that normal?" I looked into his troubled brown eyes.

"Well, I don't have much experience with true love, but from what I've heard, yes. Nervousness of the good sort is a good sign. When the time is right, you'll know. For my sake, let's hope 'the right time' is soon. I feel like Oprah or something. Dr. Phil, maybe." He chuckled at my pretend-thoughtful face.

"How about you, Col? I'll get Sabina eventually, I promise. Amanda has

Louis, Nicole has Zayn, and Harry has . . . whoever he has that night.

There's got to be someone you've got your eye on."

I shook my head slowly.

"Nope. Nada. I thought we already cleared this up, Liam. I'm forever alone. I've come to accept that." I averted his gaze suddenly, looking down at the empty sheet of paper.

"That's not true. There's somebody out there for everybody. Just because the past few haven't worked out, doesn't mean you're hopeless.

Somebody out there was made for you," he told me.

"Yeah well my somebody sure as hell ain't here." I began arranging papers and notes, trying to come off the subject I wouldn't admit got to me sometimes.

I had a lot of bad experiences with love. A lot of nights spent crying on Liam's shoulder.

He knew how cautious I was anymore. I saw it in his eyes sometimes when he looked at me. He could see the layer of stone forming around my heart. After being broken so many times, I guess it just couldn't take the risk of more pain.

"You'll find him eventually," Liam said quietly, the worry evident on his face.

He watched me shuffle pages in silence. It was comfortable, though.

That was one of the things I loved about Liam. Nothing between us was ever awkward.

"Oh, my sister and my mum were screaming over something before I left and it didn't sound like it was ending soon. Mind if I crash here tonight?" he asked, flipping over so he lay on his back with his arms casually behind his head.

I rolled my eyes towards him. "I have a five page essay to write,

Liam," I informed him.

"What? I finished that last week," he scoffed at me.

"Well we can't all be good seeds like Liam Payne, can we?" He winked cheekily at me.

"What if I help you write it?"

I took a few seconds to think exaggeratedly.

"I'll let you sleep on the floor. If you go downstairs and get me a watermelon sucker, I might consider the couch."

He grinned at me before lightly pecking my cheek and fleeing from the room and down the stairs. I laughed quietly to myself.

I totally owned that boy.


	2. Chapter 2

Louis' POV

Zayn and I were strewn carelessly in Nicole's living room after a long day of football practice.

He flicked aimlessly through television channels, searching for no

programme in particular.

"Dude, slow down. You're giving me a headache," I told him, my eyes beginning to go fuzzy from looking at the rapidly changing screen.

"Sorry, bro," he apologized, settling for MTV.

Suddenly, the delightful smell of warm butter wafted through the air.

I met Zayn's eyes immediately, the excitement evident on both of our faces. We were starving.

"Cole," he called to where our girls were in the kitchen. "Are you making . . ."

"Popcorn!" Amanda sang happily, entering with Nicole and placing a bowl on the coffee table.

I pulled her hand causing her to stumble onto my lap. I reached around her for a handful of the delicious snack as she situated herself comfortably on my lap.

"Hello, beautiful girlfriend of mine," I greeted, pressing my lips to her cheek gently.

"Hello handsome boyfriend of mine," she replied, reaching for the popcorn in my hand. I pulled away, though.

"Uh-uh. You get a kiss on the cheek and I get my corn stolen? I don't think so, missy."

She pouted at me for a moment before muttering, "Fine," and pecking me quickly on the cheek I turned towards her.

"That's more like it," I said, allowing her to pick a few pieces from my palm.

She leaned her back against my chest as we settled in to watch the episode of True Life.

That programme just shows some people in this world are complete messes.

As the show progressed, I whispered random comments in her ear, getting a few adorable giggles.

I don't know how I ever lived without her. She's all I ever thought about anymore. I was in deep, and I loved every second of it.

I've had a lot of relationships; dealt with a lot of backstabbers and fakes, but this was different.

She made me feel happy. She made me feel alive. I wasn't about to let her out of my grasp anytime soon.

She turned her face into my neck and exhaled deeply. I looked down to see her eyes closed, mascara smeared slightly.

She still looked gorgeous.

I pushed a strand of hair behind her ear, watching as she pulled her lids back to reveal the perfect green eyes I so often dreamed about.

"Rough day?" I asked quietly, sensing the tension in her shoulders.

She let her eyes slip closed once more as a small, bitter smile slipped onto her face. "You could say that."

Amanda was often messed with at school, the butt of a few cruel jokes.

She really didn't deserve it.

I don't know what they saw to pick on. She was beautiful, funny, athletic, had a huge appetite and a healthy frame that didn't show it.

She was kind and thoughtful and it killed me to see her hurt.

They hurt her so much.

She kept to herself at school, avoiding too much contact with anyone but us. I don't know why they couldn't see the perfection I could.

She had such a huge spirit, just waiting for the chance to be set free.

They scared her into keeping it locked up.

She could do so much, be so much more if they stepped back and let her grow. She was a talented artist with a passion, but fear of ridicule and humiliation kept her from letting it show.

When I met her, she was on the floor of the hallway, books scattered around her. I helped her up, captivated by the eyes filled with tears she held back. I made her laugh, walked her to her next class even though mine was on the other side of the building.

After that, I was hooked.

I pressed my lips against her forehead, then her lightly freckled nose.

I turned back to the TV, but it wasn't long before my own eyes were drooping

As the sun set in the window behind us, the energy in the room lowered with it. We all were spent and could use an escape from our hectic lives.

Sleep was a great thing, especially with your soul mate in your arms.

Nicole's POV

When I woke up, it was dark.

I took a minute to try to gather my surroundings. My TV was turned off, my kitchen light was on, and I was lying on the couch. The time on my phone told me it was well past 9:00.

This meant my mum would be home soon.

As I concentrated on my current situation, I noticed the warm breath that was continually hitting the back of my neck.

I looked down at the arm wrapped securely around my waist and caught sight of the Yin and Yang tattoo. I also detected the wonderfully familiar cologne.

Zayn.

I smiled to myself. I remembered relaxing with him after his football practice when he, Louis, and Amanda were all over.

My eyes drifted to the love seat to find it empty.

I checked my messages. 12 new messages from Twitter and 1 new message from Amanda. It said something about them going back to Louis' and to text her later. I wasn't able to fully concentrate on it because I was pulled backwards into the toned chest of my boyfriend.

"Hi," he said simply, in a husky voice that was incredibly hot. I smiled in the darkness, before replying, "Hi," back. He let out a soft laugh as I turn my body to face him.

I pressed my face into his neck, breathing in his soothing scent. His arms wrapped themselves around my waist and I felt him drop light kisses in my hair.

"What time is it?" he asked into my skin. "Quarter to ten," I answered, my voice muffled by his wife beater.

"Shit," he muttered.

I sat up quickly, confused at his outburst.

"I was supposed to be home by 7. My mom I going to be so pissed. I told Janey I'd help her with her homework. I have to go!" He shot up from the couch and grabbed his jacket from the arm rest.

He was heading towards the door when he stopped suddenly. Zayn turned and walked towards me where I stood watching him.

"I'm so sorry, baby. It's just getting a bit tougher now that mom works night shifts. I have to make dinner and help Janey and clean . . ." The worry on his face made my heart clench.

I knew how hard he worked to keep his family together after his dad left a few years back. He was brave and made all these sacrifices to care for himself and his mom and his little sister.

I walked up to him, looked him right in his sad eyes, and kissed him.

His soft lips moved with mine, his warm palm moving to cup my cheek. I broke the contact to take a breath. We were just centimeters apart, staring into each other's eyes.

"You know I understand what you're going through. Responsibility like this can be stressful. I'm not mad at you. I love you for it. You're brave, Zayn. Braver than your father was."

He winced. The topic was a sore one, but it needed to be said.

"You should never be afraid to ask me for help. I may not be the best cook, but I think I can handle second grade spelling homework." He laughed, the corners of his eyes creasing in the smile I refused to let him lose.

He connected our lips for another lengthy kiss. "Now get out of here and make Janey something tasty. She deserves it after having to write 'cup' three times in a row." He smiled at me once more.

It made me feel amazing, knowing I could make him smile through his sadness. It made me feel like I was important, like I made a difference in someone's life.

I walked him to the door. He turned again to kiss my cheek.

"Goodnight, beautiful. I love you." I smiled up at him. "Goodnight. I love you, too."

I watched Zayn walk down my pathway to his car. He opened the door, turned to blow me a kiss, and slid inside.

He drove away into the night, taking my heart with him wherever he went.


	3. Chapter 3

Niall's POV

First day at a new school.

In a new town where I knew absolutely no one.

In the middle of the week.

In the middle of the year.

Fabulous.

This would be an interesting Wednesday.

I'd somehow stumbled through my first three classes, roaming the hallways for my fourth class: Culture Studies. After I'd finally found the room, I was once again forced to go through the painful introduction in front of the other juniors.

"Class, this is Niall Horan. He just moved here from Ireland, so I want you all to welcome him." I didn't think my cheeks would ever lose the embarrassed red color after today. Mrs. Hamilton, an old red haired woman in her 50s turned to me and said, "Why don't you take a seat there in the third row behind Mr. Payne. Liam, raise your hand." I watched as a lad topped with a mop of messy brown hair lifted his arm into the air.

I slowly made my way to my assigned seat, keeping my head down to avoid curious stares. As I passed him, Liam offered me an encouraging smile. That was one of the first kind gestures I'd received all day. It was good to know not everyone in this place was as emotionless as they seemed.

I tried to concentrate on the lesson, but my mind kept wandering. I thought of the friendly faces and green fields back in Mullingar. I thought of my mates back home and of my own bed, wishing that's where I was. It was a simple town, but nothing was familiar or comforting. Everything was strange and cold. I didn't feel welcome and I was on edge. I didn't want to be there, and it didn't seem I was wanted there.

The bell rang, startling me from my thoughts. The class had passed, and I hadn't retained a thing. I collected my things and rose from my seat.

"Hey, I'm Liam." I looked up to see the nice lad in front of me extending his hand toward me. I hesitantly returned the gesture, giving him a firm handshake.

"So, I was wondering, since you're new here, if you'd like to sit with my lot in the canteen. I see from your schedule that we both have fifth lunch together now, and if you haven't already made arrangements, I'd love to introduce you." He seemed genuine and kind. He was the first to extend any kind of warmth to me today. I gladly accepted.

We walked from the room to each of our lockers to replace books, then to the canteen. As we were talking, Liam told me a few things about the school and the town, certain cliques, who to befriend and who to avoid. He helped me out. He wasn't too judgmental of the student body; it seemed he just spoke from experience. He said he'd lived there his whole life and would gladly give me a hand whenever I needed. I was happy to have made a friend in this strange community.

After we collected our trays, we approached a table in the middle of the room. Around it sat three boys and three girls.

A boy with black quiffed hair was introduced as Zayn and sat next to a small brown haired girl named Nicole who apparently was his girlfriend. They both greeted me warmly.

Next to them sat another smaller girl with long brown hair and pretty eyes called Sabina. I watched as she and Liam exchanged bashful greetings. A bit of a crush, I see. I'd have to ask him about that later.

Next was a boy in a striped shirt and suspenders name Louis who welcomed me loudly. He was quite funny and I had a feeling I'd get along fairly well with him. He had his arm across a blonde's shoulders. This girl had bright green eyes and a freckled nose. She waved silently from where she was tucked in close to Louis' side. She smiled happily at me, though she seemed a bit shy.

I took a seat across from Liam and next to Nicole. She leaned over and fake whispered, "If Liam over there gives you any trouble, you can tell me. I'll take care of him for you." I smiled as Liam stuck his tongue out at her.

Just then, a girl wearing a Batman shirt and a gray beanie covering the top of her head walked by and hit the back of Liam's head with a smack. He bent over his tray, reaching behind himself to hold his injury. "You're such a child, Liam," she stated nonchalantly.

Liam looked at her as she seated herself next to him. His expression was one of mock offence. "I am not," he exclaimed. "Are too," she shot back, not looking up from her fingernails. "Nuh-uh!" She rolled her eyes and looked to him. "I'll let you win if you give me your lollipop," she told him, looking down at the green object. He quickly handed her the candy from his tray muttering, "Ah, the sweet smell of victory."

"Actually, that would be the smell of mystery meat," Louis said. They all cringed disgustedly, erupting into laughter.

"So, is anyone going to introduce me to our new friend here?" the girl spoke. I looked up from my pizza to meet her eyes. They were large and chocolate brown, surrounded by long, dark lashes. She had what appeared to be colorful paint smeared across her cheeks and forehead and also drying on her fingers, which were swiftly re-braiding her brown hair under her beanie.

"Col, this is Niall. He just moved here from Ireland," Liam said. I smiled shyly at her. I was normally quite loud and outgoing, but she already made me nervous in a good way. Was it possible to like someone so much that quickly?

She smiled back, showing off her straight teeth. I felt something that could only be described as butterflies erupt in my stomach. "Hi, I'm Colleen," she told me offering her hand from across the table. I shook it carefully, feeling my cheeks burn at the contact. I could've sworn I caught a bit if blush under her paint-splattered cheeks as well.

"Sorry I'm not exactly looking my best for our first meeting. I have art fourth, and when I get in the zone, there's no telling how much of it ends up on me. It's like this pretty much every day."

I smiled again. I liked the sound of her voice. It was very calm and sure. She seemed confident, but not as cocky as some girls I've encountered.

"Colleen," I started, liking the way it felt in my mouth. She nodded, still smiling as if encouraging me to go on. "That's a very Irish name," I told her. "Yeah, my grandparents are natives. Which part are you coming from?" "Mullingar," I said. "Never been. What's it like there?"

She was very easy to talk to and seemed genuinely interested.

I thought for a moment. How does one sum up Mullingar? "It's better than here," I said without thinking. I shot my eyes to hers, my brow creasing in worry that she'd be offended by my comment. Instead, she erupted into a fit of adorable giggles.

Jesus, she was going to kill me.

"Cheers to that. Anywhere is better than this shit town. Crushing dreams one kid at a time." I smiled; relieved I hadn't ruined something before it even stared.

We continued to talk for the rest of lunch, about how she'd lived there her whole life like her best mate, Liam. She said we'd have to get together sometimes so she could show me the ropes of the place. I agreed and we exchanged numbers.

When the bell rang, my spirit fell. I wished I could've talked all day with her, but we both had classes. I knew in my gut that she was something special. She, along with everyone else at that table, was going to have an impact on my life I could never have anticipated.


	4. Chapter 4

Sabina's POV

Lunch. The best and worst time of the school day.

It was the best because it was a break from the teachers and unnecessary bitches I had to deal with on a daily basis. It was the best because I got to see him and talk to him and be near him.

It was the worst because I couldn't have him.

Okay, it's not that I 'couldn't' have him; it's that I 'didn't' have him.

And I wanted him so badly.

It's been that way for years. I sat here, hopelessly dreaming and pining over him, but never brave enough to make a move. Now, I was all for feminine power and the girl being able to make the first move, but my shyness got the best of me.

Colleen tried to help me, urging me to go for it and offering to set us up, but I couldn't let her. So instead I sit here alone, as my friends were all in love.

I mean, I had Colleen to be lonely and heartbroken with, but by the looks of it, she and the new Irish kid were already getting along. He seemed nice and he was pretty cute. She needed it, after the devastation of her last relationship, someone who would treat her right. This kid didn't seem like much of a heart breaker, and I could tell he already had a crush on her. Who could blame him? She's the best and I'm happy for her.

She tried to get me to build my confidence enough to really talk to Liam, telling me all the time that he absolutely liked me back, but for some reason I couldn't believe her. Who would like me? I was just a nobody. A dancer-wannabe with less social stance than I had courage.

"Hey Bean, you look kind of upset. Are you okay?" I looked up from my shoes to see the worried face of my love. He stood a few feet away, so I could tell he was unsure.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I told him, trying to make my smile convincing.

"Are you sure? You know you can always talk to me." I smiled genuinely at his kindness.

He was such a sweetheart.

"I know," I ensured him. He let a smile grace his perfect features as we began walking. We had algebra 2 together next period and our lockers were in the same hallway.

After a few moments of comfortable silence, I could sense he wanted to say something, so I looked expectantly up at him. He met my gaze, smiling down at me.

He was a solid six inches taller than I was. This fact just sparked images of him swinging me around on the beach during the sunset, and helping me reach things on top shelves and asking for a kiss before giving them to me.

I had a lot of time to think.

"So I hear Mrs. Tiberce is giving a project in class today where we get to choose our own partners. I was wondering if . . ." he trailed off, staring at the ground and swallowing nervously.

I couldn't believe what was happening. My stomach had so many butterflies on crack in it, I thought I would explode.

"Yes?" I urged him to continue.

This is what I've been waiting for years, a chance to spend time alone with him outside of school and friends, a chance to start something.

"If maybe you'd like to be my partner. We could work over at my place, or yours if you're more comfortable. It was just a thought . . ." His words faded uncertainly. If only he'd look up and see the ridiculous grin on my face.

"Of course, I'd love to be your partner." His eyes shot up to meet mine, the excitement evident. "Really?" he asked, as if there was any way I'd say no. I nodded, the grin plastered on my face.

"Great. This is good," he said quietly, laughing at himself. I laughed with him, giddy with excitement. "Very good," I agreed.

We were suddenly at the door of our classroom. He held the door open for me, whispering, "After you." I curtsied slightly before him, chuckling a, "Thank you," back. The sheer joy from knowing he wanted my company as much as I wanted his giving me confidence.

We walked into the class and took our respective seats on opposite sides of the room, still grinning like fools. Instead of groaning like the rest of the class as she assigned the project, we shared a few glances from across the room. Just the thought of all the possibilities to come out of this assignment was enough for me to chirp a "Thank you," as the teacher handed me a sheet.

After ignoring her puzzled stare, I happily wrote down my own name and the name sketched in countless copybooks at my house directly under it in the 'partner' slot.

My entire body bubbled with silly school girl excitement. A foolish feeling, love. It made us do strange things. It completely changed our perspectives on a situation, on the world, on life. I was definitely open to find out what else love had in store for me.


	5. Chapter 5

Zayn's POV

I was slowly pulled from sleep by a noise; a high pitched ringing that slowly formed into a voice.

"Zayn! Zayn! Wake up! Zayn, you need to wake up!"

The sound of my little sister's voice startled me fully awake. I shot up from my pillows and looked around the room, trying to grasp what had her so worked up.

"Janey, what's wrong? Are you hurt? What happened?" I was becoming frantic, all the possibilities running through my brain. She smiled her nearly toothless 8 year old smile at me, confusing me even more.

"Nicole's already here and she told me to wake you up and tell you that she's making breakfast," Just then, the smell of bacon drifted past my nose. I smiled down at Janey, before realizing what this meant.

My eyes darted to the clock on my bedside table. I jumped out of bed and rushed around my bedroom, throwing on a pair of jeans and a wife beater before grabbing a random button-up and running down the steps. I heard Janey hot on my heals, struggling to keep up while hauling my school bag down the stairs.

When I reached the bottom, I turned to relieve her of the weight. "Thanks, Jane. Is Mom gone?" We made our way through the house towards the kitchen. "Yeah. She told me to tell you to drop me off at school whenever you went because she was late too." I nodded, quickly entering the kitchen.

I stopped dead as our eyes met. In that moment, it didn't matter that we were all so late. It didn't matter that we had to be anywhere at all. The only thing that mattered was her and how beautiful she looked in a hoodie I vaguely recognized as my own. Time stopped and it was only us. She had that affect on me.

I dropped my bag on the floor and made my way over to where she stood against the counter. "Hey, baby." I whispered, pulling her closer until our noses were touching. "Hi," she whispered back, grinning up a me. I leaned down and quickly pecked her lips.

I went in for another kiss, Nicole gladly accepting. When I tried to deepen it, she pulled away gently. I moaned softly at the loss if contact, earning a cute giggle. "I know, but we're already late enough. If you keep making faces like that, we'll be even later because I'll have to pounce on you," she winked at me. I laughed aloud, muttering a, "I can't help it if I'm hot."

She chuckled and pulled out of my grasp. I gave her lips a quick kiss before reluctantly letting her go. "Douche," I heard her mutter as she moved to her bag on the table.

"What did you just say?" I asked, standing there with a skeptical expression on my face. She looked back with wide, innocent eyes. "I didn't say anything," she told me in a high pitched, fake-confused voice.

"Really? Say it again. What did you call me? Say it!" I ran over and dramatically swept her up into my arms and carried her bridal-style out into the living room. I plopped her onto the couch and pulled out the big guns; I started tickling her.

Immediately, she began shrieking and wriggling, yelling at me to stop. Nicole was extremely ticklish, unnaturally so. It came in handy in situations like this, not to mention being absolutely adorable.

"Zayn! Zayn, stop it! I didn't call you anything! Please!" She was getting more and more out of breath and I could tell she was going to give in soon.

I slowed down my torture until I had her arms at her sides. I brought my face right up to hers and whispered, "This is your last chance. Spill or I'll be forced to hold you prisoner for the rest of forever." I laughed silently at the silly phrase, but was brought back to my situation by her blowing air into my phase in an attempt to move her hair from her eyes. I had to fight the urge to release her arm to move the strand from her face, but I held strong.

After a good long stare down, I saw her surrender in her eyes. I grinned mischievously down at her before finally reaching up to brush away the intrusive strand of hair. I moved in closer until our lips were barely touching. I stayed like that, torturing her until finally she pressed her lips to mine.

Kissing Nicole was everything Janey's fairytales described: butterfly-raising, heart-racing, world-dissolving perfection.

When we broke for air, I stood up and began walking away. "Hey, where are you going? I'm not done with you yet!" she yelled after me. "I'm hungry!" I called back, hearing her approaching. "Douche!" she yelled, jumping onto my back.

Needless to say, we never did get to school that day. It was worth it, though, to spend time with the girl I love.


	6. Chapter 6

Amanda's POV

School.

I fucking hate school.

Seven hours of torture, both of the educational sort and the social sort.

The educational torture was something everyone had to deal with: annoying teachers, impossible assignments, impassable tests, boring classes, lack of sleep. It was durable compared to what happened between all the education.

I was standing at my locker pushing the books I needed for my third period class into my bag when suddenly a book fell to the floor.

Just my luck.

I bent down to pick it up, mumbling to myself about how my day couldn't get any better. All of a sudden, an unknown force shoved all my weight to the left and sent me hurtling a few feet across the hallway.

Pain.

A burning pain in my right arm. A burning pain in the back of my eyes telling myself not to cry.

I looked up from where I was curled on the ground to see Molly and the rest of the cunt-crew, as I liked to call them. I realized that it was Molly's boyfriend, Jimmy who had kicked me down. That really wasn't fair considering he was the kicker on the school's champion football team.

That was why my arm felt like it was on fire. It was probably broken.

Great.

"Who gave you the right to walk in my hallway?" Molly asked me, crossing her arms over her stomach. I kept my eyes glued to the floor where I lay. After years of dealing with this daily, I've learned that eye contact was something you never wanted to make if you wanted to come out alive.

"That's what I thought," she said coldly. I watched as they all sneered and walked away, their feet scruffing against my side as they walked past.

Now that they were gone, I was able to focus more acutely on the pain. It hurt really fucking bad. All I wanted to do was die. I didn't care how it happened I just wanted to be done. Done with all this shit.

Sometimes I sat by myself in my room and wondered why I haven't just ended it yet. There were plenty of knives and razors in my house. I'm sure I had a rope of some kind of in my shed. It would be easy. And I would be happy.

I didn't know how long I had been laying there motionless on the cold floor, but I knew it was at least an hour. People were starting to shuffle by again.

I felt a hand rest lightly on my side, a familiar whiff of cologne filling my nose. I was reminded why I hadn't resorted to what so many teenagers do today. He kept me going through all the pain. He was my superman.

"They did it this time," I heard him mutter. I felt him lightly squeeze my side, trying to comfort me without doing much to hurt me. I knew he could tell I was injured.

"Where does it hurt?" he asked quietly. "My right arm. Help me up, please." I could barely mange a whisper. He instructed me to roll over, so I did as I was told. He put one hand on my side and the other in my left hand. He pulled me into a sitting position without much effort.

I kept my eyes down, afraid to see his face. I couldn't take the worry in his eyes. It made me feel like a burden. I really didn't deserve him. Yet he still stayed by my side through all of the shit I went through.

When he sighed, I finally met his gaze. His piercing blue eyes looked as if he was staring into my soul. And as if he could see how broken it was right now.

"This is ridiculous. This needs to end. I think we can officially report it, now that they've physically harmed you, right?" His brow was creased in concentration as he began fiddling with my fingers. He was anxious and confused and worried and it was all my fault.

"Hey," I began, holding his hands in mine to keep them still. "Stop it. The worry is going to be forever wrinkled in your skin. Album's don't sell with wrinkly people on the front." He laughed half-heartedly before grasping my hands more tightly and pulling me to my feet. "Now let's go get you checked out," he said smiling down at me and pulling me towards the exit.

"Louis," I called, tugging on his arm to get him to stop. He turned to face me. "I love you," I whispered. Louis' expression turned into one of adoration, a look which constantly took my breath away. He took a step towards me. He brought his hands up to cup my cheeks. Slowly, he leaned closer to me until our noses touched. I let my eyes slip closed in preparation for the magic that was about to occur.

When I felt his lips, they weren't on mine. The cheeky thing kissed my chin. I opened my eyes to glare at him. He almost doubled over in laughter before letting go of my face and booking it down the hallway.

Unluckily for him, I was the fastest sprinter on the track team.

"Get back here, you tease! If I need a cast, I'm beating you with it! Louis William Tomlinson!" I continued to yell after him until we reached his car. Though, I was quite a bit shorter than him, I backed that smirking bastard up again the side of the vehicle with the daggers I was shooting at him from my eyes.

"Listen, baby. No need to give me that look. You know I love you!" He was struggling to get the words out through the laughter. I was also having trouble keeping a straight face.

He was the happiness that those bullies tried to drive out of me. He was the sunshine on the cloudy day that was my life anymore. He was going to kill me with the utter adorable lovableness that was his face right now.

I had nothing else to say to him so I did the only thing there was to do. Kiss him.

We stayed like that, pressed up against his car outside of school in the middle of the day, for longer than probably socially acceptable.

Eventually, the pain in my arm wasn't ignorable anymore, so we were forced to break apart. He held my hand all the way to the hospital, singing Adele and Beyonce to me on the top of his lungs the whole time.

This boy. He was going to be the death of me. If I was going down, there was no one else I'd rather have by my side.


	7. Chapter 7

Liam's POV

It's been about 2 weeks since I asked Sabina to be my partner or the algebra project. We've already handed it in.

We got an A.

I got her heart.

The night before the project was due; she invited me over her house to do some double checking on the information and the format. In the cheesy movie fashion, we both reached for the marker and ended up touching hands.

I ended up admitting my long-time feelings for her and she told me that she felt the same way. She agreed to be my girlfriend. I kissed her cheek goodnight and sang Taylor Swift the whole ride home.

Sabina was beautiful, hilarious, talented, athletic, kind, everything I could've ever dreamed of.

And now she was mine.

I had spent years wanting to be with her, wanting her to love me like I loved her. She had been the object of my 11:11 wishes for so long, and to discover that she felt the same way felt amazing. It was like a dream that I woke up to find was real.

I didn't think this level of happiness was even possible. But she showed me that it was. Thoughts of all the times we would spend together, images of how happy our lives would be together filled my mind.

Who would've thought that one girl could fill my existence me so completely. I was hers and I loved everything about it.

As soon as I parked the car after leaving her house, I ran straight into Col's house and right up to her room. Years and years of family friendship granted me access to her house pretty much whenever I wanted.

I barged into her room and told her what happened. She screamed and tackled me in a hug.

I was at her house until 1:30 that night, gushing about how happy I was. She was ecstatic for me, but I could see the slightest glimmer of sadness in her eyes.

It'd been a long time since she'd been in a relationship. She'd been hurt way too many times by boys who had promised her the world. She just couldn't stand being used again. She didn't deserve the pain.

She'd almost completely given up on love and barely trusted anyone anymore.

I remember holding her all night, listening to her sob over how she was staying on her own. She believed there wasn't a single person out there who was worthy of her trust because a few stupid boys ruined her faith in love.

She was my best friend, my sister, my baby, and I wasn't about to let her give up.

A new boy had transferred from Ireland and had taken to her quickly, just like most people. Colleen was very likable, always nice, funny, and hilariously sarcastic.

I noticed them talking everyday at lunch, sometimes walking together in between classes. Last night, when I was over her house, I checked her phone to find loads of messages they sent to each other. I didn't read any of them, but just that, plus the fact that she's been smiling at her phone a lot recently, made I obvious that a connection was made.

I had a plan.

I talked it over with Sabina, and we agreed that something needed to be done. Bean was also very close with Colleen and we decided that Niall could be good for her. He was an overall good guy, patient, funny, swore just as much as she did, by wasn't one for extremely crude jokes.

So that day at lunch, as everyone asked Amanda about the ace bandage on her fractured arm, I invited Niall over to do a bit of studying as well as hanging out. He happily accepted, saying he could use the help from a smart guy like me.

At some point during the night, I planned to make an excuse to run him over to Col's next-door and leave them alone. She'd hate me when she found out, but she'll get over it. It was obvious that she liked him; she was just holding herself back. The fear of getting hurt stopping her from putting herself out there.

Sabina, who had listened in on my conversation with Niall, leaned over to whisper, "She's going to beat you up when she finds out," in my ear.

I had made sure to wait until Colleen was at the other side of the table talking to Amanda and Nicole about some guy named Darren Criss to talk to Niall.

She didn't know of mine and Niall's study party tonight or of the surprise visit we'd be making.

I smiled down at Sabina, getting lost in her eyes. They changed colors constantly, but today they were a beautiful shade of green. I leaned down to press my lips to hers in a soft kiss.

We were forced apart by the sudden dampness of the situation.

We looked up to see Colleen holding a squirt bottle filled with water.

"None of that while we're trying to eat. We get enough of it from Nicole and Zayn over there so we don't need it from you." Zayn looked over at us, smiling guiltily as Nicole versed Louis in a thumb-war match.

After Colleen safely put away the bottle she apparently acquired from the art room, Sabina and I watched as she and Niall laughed and talked together, oblivious to the smirks on our faces.

We held hands under the table, hoping that our friend would soon find a similar feeling to the love that we shared.


	8. Chapter 8

Niall's POV

Liam and I were starting to pack up after our long study session that night. It really helped and I was glad to have spent time with him. He was the best mate I had met since I had moved.

He helped me out a lot with some things I was confused about. Things about Colleen.

At school, whenever I tried to get closer or make a move of some mind, she would back away. She kept making excuses to distance herself if she felt like I was getting to close. I was confused because I really like her, but she kept getting nervous and backing away.

Suddenly, his sister's voice called to us from somewhere in the house.

"Liam, Penny's coming up!" I looked at him confused. He had a knowing smile on his face, looking at the door.

Instead of a girl, like I'd expected, a large black dog trotted through the door, it's tail wagging happily. She jumped up on the bed between Liam and I. Thankfully, all our books and notes were away, or else that pup would've crushed them all.

The dog lay down, looking expectantly up at us. Liam chuckled and patted her head. I did the same, always a dog lover.

"I didn't know you had a dog," I told Liam. He looked up at me, a twinkle in his eye.

"I don't."

My brow creased in confusion.

"Come on, let's go return you before you're missed," he spoke to the dog.

Immediately the large Labrador hopped off the bed and made it's way down he hallway. Liam and I followed behind it, jogging down the stairs and out the front door.

I was extremely confused, but I silently walked across the Payne's front lawn and onto the neighbors. The dog called Penny sat at Liam's feet as he stood on the neighbors front porch.

He looked at me and said, "This happens at least 3 times a week. I think you'll be pretty happy about it, though." The smirk on his face caused a few stray nerves to light in my stomach.

He lifted his hand to knock on the door, but instead he pushed the doorbell. And didn't let go. We could hear the bell continuously ringing inside the house. It was a good three minutes before we heard footsteps nearing the door.

When the door opened, I had to stop myself from running. Colleen stood there in grey leggings and and oversized sweatshirt, yet I'd never seen anything more beautiful. Her hair was down, long and wavy. Her brown eyes sparkled with annoyance as she stared at Liam. She looked very unamused. She looked perfect.

"Remember that time when we were friends?" she asked Liam in a completely monotone voice. He had the look of a toddler who got caught stealing from the cookie jar but knew he wouldn't get punished.

When Liam just stood there and grinned, she continued, "Because I don't." Liam chuckled as Colleen maintaned her straight face.

"We've come to return your steed," Liam announced in an official voice.

She looked down at Penny and said, "Ah, yes. My steed." She patted Penny's head and turned to walk back into the house. Penny and Liam were right behind her, so I followed as well.

I was in her house.

Holy Shit.

I should've figured that she'd live fairly close to Liam, seeing as they've been best friends since childhood. We walked through the foyer and into her kitchen. Her house was set up exactly the same way as Liam's. It was decorated fairly similar as well.

She sat down on a stood at the counter, turning to face us.

"Sorry, I didn't get to properly greet you, Niall," she began, smiling her breathtaking smile at me. "Liam was just being an asshole as usual."

"Hey!" Liam shouted, offended.

Colleen rolled her eyes.

"You know you love me," Liam said, leaning against the counter and getting in her face. She sighed heavily before admitting, "Yeah. But I don't like it!"

Liam smirked before walking over to the fridge and getting three juice boxes, handing one to each of us.

"What brings you to our side of town?" she asked, staring intently at me.

"I was, erm, studying at Liam's." I mentally kicked myself for sounding so stupid. She made me nervous. In a good way. She didn't seem to care that I sounded like a pre-pubescent school boy stuttering over my words, because she smiled at me.

I loved how her eyes lit up when she smiled. Or how her nose scrunched up when she laughed. I could spend days listing the reasons why I was hooked on this girl, but right now I had to focus on where I was.

In her house.

Holy shit.

"That's what I'm supposed to be doing. My parents left to go to some party or something and they told me to study. Instead, I've watched 2 hours of I Love Lucy reruns and had a dance party to punk-rock and Disney music."

I laughed out loud at that, earning one of her adorable giggles in return.

"So Liam, heard from Sabina lately?" she asked with a smirk. He blushed slightly.

"Maybe. What's it to you?"

She hopped off the stool and walked over to him.

"Well, it's only my two best friends. I want to make sure you're getting along because you're obviously going to be together forever. You're not allowed to ruin it!" She smacked his arm loudly.

His expression turned into one of fake shock and anger.

"Well then, if you can't respect me, I guess I'll just be going!" He stomped exaderatedly from the room as Colleen yelled, "Fine!" after him.

We stood togther in the kitchen silently for a few seconds before we heard the door slam. I looked at Colleen, confusion written all over my face. She shrugged up at me.

"What a bitch. Eh, I'd rather be with you anyway. You're much nicer to me than him." That smile was going to kill me.

She returned to her spot on the stool, motioning to the one next to her. I cautiously slid next to her. 'I'd rather be with you' was playing over and over in my brain. It sounded nice.

We sat in semi-comfortable silence for a few moments.

This is your chance, Niall. Talk to her! Stop being such a pussy! What's the worst that could happen? She could say no. Don't think about that!

"Hey, Colleen," I said without thinking. Dammit. Damn my mouth.

She looked up at me with wide, expectant eyes.

"Yes, Niall?"

This is why your doing this. The feeling you get when she looks at you. Says your name. This is worth it.

"I kind of need to talk to you." I fought the urge to look down at my hands. If this was going to work, I needed to keep eye contact. She nodded her head for me to continue.

"While I was at Liam's, he told me about-about what you've gone through." I watched as she stiffened, sitting up straight defensively.

"What do you mean?" Her voice was hard, but I could hear the fear behind it.

"Liam told me about how broken you are because of a few past relationships. He's worried about you. And so am I."

She jumped out of her seat quickly, staring angrily at me.

"You just got here, you can't possibly know anything about me! Liam exaderates because he's protective and worried. I'm fine! I'm not broken!"

Her breathing was heavy and I could see the tears threatening the corners of her eyes.

"Colleen, I like you. I really like you. And it scares me because I've never felt so strongly for someone. Especially someone I just met."

I watched her eyes widen.

"It also scares me because you're hurt and I can't do anything about it. I see it. I see it in your eyes. It hurts to have friends who are all in love. It hurts because you want it but a few assholes have you convinced that you aren't destined for love.

As soon as I saw you, I knew you were special. I saw this beautiful girl with messy hair and paint splatters and I'd never seen anything more perfect. I saw you and knew immediately that you were what I needed.

To have you so close yet so far away killed me. I knew that you were cautious and afraid to let me in, but I'm here to tell you that I'm not like the others. I would never intentionally hurt you. I just want to hold you and protect you from the world because-because I love you! I love you and I'm terrified that you will never love me back. I'm sorry if I've ruined everyhing because you don't feel the same way, but you had to know."

She stood there frozen, her face emotionless. I had nothing else to say, so I just turned and walked away. I walked away thinking I'd just lost everyhing that mattered to me anymore. I ran a hand through my hair, frustrated.

Suddenly, I heard a noise. it was the sound of a door closing. Ignoring it, I kept walking. I was almost to my car when I heard another sound. A voice.

"Niall! Niall wait!" It was her. I turned around, no believing my eyes. Colleen was running toward me across the grass.

Time seemed to freeze.

The only sound was my heart beating rapidly against my chest.

She came to a stop in front of me, only to launch herself into my arms. Her lips were on mine and nothing else mattered.

It was heaven. No stress, no worry. Just me and her.

It seemed like forever before we broke apart. Both of our breathing was ragged. I stared deep into her eyes and saw every emotion you could think of: fear, worry, happiness, wonder, love. I knew my eyes reflected the same things.

"That was the sweetest thing anyone's ever said to me," she whispered breathlessly. I laughed quietly down at her.

"I'm willing to give this a chance. It won't be easy. It'll take some serious convincing on your part. I'm not broken, but I'm close. It'll be a lot of work, a lot of break downs, but I need you just as much as you need me. I don't know what it is, whatever this is. It's weird, but I think I like it."

We laughed together, both of us hightened by the emotional rollercoaster ride we just experienced.

"I think it's fate." I whispered, brushing a stray hair from her face. Her smile was brighter than the stars.

"Who knows? I want this to work, because I like you Niall. Really like you. Just because every asshole in this town has made me believe that love is a myth, that doesn't mean you don't have the chance to convince me otherwise. But if you fuck me over, that'll be the end for me."

I frowned at her, taking her hands in mine.

"I'm going to do my best to protect you, to show you that there is hope. I promise that I will try." She smiled before reaching up and kissing me again.

Fireworks.

She pulled back once more, but stayed close to my face.

"I love how you didn't promise me the world like the others did. You're taking a chance on me, and you're willing to try. That's all that matters. I think that's just perfect. I think you're just perfect."

Overcome with love, I pulled her closer. We stood under the stars, talking about us, for hours. For once in my life, everything was absolutely perfect.


	9. Chapter 9

Sabina's POV

Finally! After a long and stressful week, the weekend has come! We were all planning on taking a break from all the drama that's been going on lately and heading to the mall and going laser questing!

I was bubbling with excitement as I sat in Amanda's room with her and Nicole. I stood in front of her vanity, removing my hair from its braided form. I ran a brush through my hair, smiling at the dark waves.

I wore grey high-rise shorts and a loose white graphic tee tucked in. I had on my usual black sneakers and minimal makeup. I laughed silently at myself.

Ever since Liam asked me to be his girlfriend, I had been very giddy and happy. I often found myself singing quietly or pulling my mom into a dance in our kitchen. It was love and everyone could tell I was in deep. Just thinking about him gave me a warm feeling in the pit of my stomach.

"Where is she?" I whined out loud.

Nicole and Amanda were both ready, sitting on Mand's bed, and scrolling through Tumblr.

"Calm down, Sabs. They'll be here soon," Nicole tried to soothe me. I couldn't help it if I wanted to see my boyfriend! I smiled yet again at the term.

My boyfriend. Liam James Payne is my boyfriend. I sighed happily and threw myself on the bed.

"Love looks good on you, Bean. You've got this nice glow." Amanda told me, staring at me intently.

"I'm in a relationship, not pregnant, Manda." I rolled my eyes playfully at her, earning a, "Shut up," and a light whack to the arm.

The sound of the door opening and voices drifted through the house. They're here. He's here. We all jumped off the bed, booking it to the living room with me in the lead.

When our eyes connected, everything stopped. It felt as though we were the only ones in the room. His lips slowly curled into a smile, eyes lighting up. I knew my expression was the same.

I ran to him, jumping into his arms. He wound his arms around me, holding me close to him.

"Someone's excited," he laughed into my hair. I pulled back, feeling my cheeks burn.

"Sorry, I . . ." I looked down as my sentence trailed off. He laughed again, reaching up a hand to push a stray hair back into place.

"It's alright. I was excited to see you too."

I looked up at him, grinning like an idiot. I moved toward him again to press my lips to his in a perfect kiss.

We pulled away to the sound of wolf-whistles, all from Niall and Zayn. I smiled, my cheeks lighting with embarrassment as I hid my face in his chest.

When I peeked around Liam's arm, I saw Colleen standing next to Niall. I watched as she bumped into his side, looking at him with an eyebrow raised. He grinned back down at her bumping himself back into her. Her lips formed a slow smile as his hand found hers, their fingers immediately intertwining.

As soon as she looked away from his face to glance around the familiar room, he leaned down to drop a kiss on her hairline. I smiled as I witnessed the adorable scene. I was so happy for her, finding happiness in her chaos.

I looked over to the couple next to them. Zayn and Nicole were facing each other, both hands linked between them. They were laughing together, their arms swinging absent-mindedly. After another bit of laughter passed, Zayn pulled Nicole closer, pressing his lips to her forehead before wrapping her in a tight hug.

Smiling at my friends' joy, I continued my search of the room to see Louis and Amanda in the kitchen; I could only see the back of Louis, seeing as he was on the side of the island facing the living room. By the smile on Amanda's face, it was obvious he was telling her some crazy story or another.

Suddenly, she doubled over in laughter, almost sending herself to the floor. Trying to catch her breath, she ran out into the living room with her boyfriend following her. The last thing I saw was Louis throwing himself on top of her, sending them both to the couch in a bout of giggles.

The amount of love in that room was unreal. I thought, in that moment I'd never been so happy. We truly were blessed.

We all slowly worked our way into to living room to discuss out plans. When we were seated somewhat civilly on the couch, we worked out the plans for the day. We would drive to the mall in Colleen's car because she had this huge white van that could seat us all comfortably, then after a bit of mall trolling, we would head to laser quest.

Excitement was high as we shuffled into our friend's 'raper van'. Colleen drove us to the local mall, where we wandered from store to store, breaking all rules and almost getting kicked out.

Finally, we were asked to leave the mall after setting off every noise-making thing in the toy store.

We stumbled out of the entrance, laughing happily together. I grasped Liam's hand as we all ran across the busy street to the shopping centre.

In this shopping centre was our destination: the laser quest zone. Together we strode in, aware of how hoodlum-like we seemed.

From her place beside me in the entrance, I heard Amanda mutter, "I solemnly swear I am up to no good." This earned a chuckle from me and a hearty laugh from her boyfriend.

Louis draped his arm across her shoulders, leading us in a swagger out fashion. "Yes, I'm Louis and I'd like to participate in a match of questing with my lads here. How much currency would this require?"

The young cashier stared with wide eyes, dumbfounded but answered with the price. Louis smiled triumphantly as we all giggled behind him mischievously.

This was sure going to be interesting.

After we payed, they filed us into a room where we decided on boys versus girls. We shouted joking threats and jeers at each other as they prepared the arena.

We got set in our equipment, yelling our final war calls. Liam sent me a wink before shuffling away with the rest of them.

"Ok girls. Let's kick some male ass!" Colleen shouted, charging into the black-lit room.

It suddenly got very quiet. The maze of walls and fences made me feel like a soldier in an enemy house, crouching in the wait for some prey. I felt like a freaking ninja.

I could hear shots being fired and vests being deactivated and re-activated. As I swiftly turned a corner, I heard the sharp sound if shooting coming closer.

Without looking behind me, I began backing away to avoid being seen. Little did I know, the route I was taking was an up ramp.

Not expecting the altitude change, I stumbled back, landing hard in the corner. A sharp pain ran up my spine, causing me to gasp. I squeezed my eyes shut, waiting for it to fade.

I heard footsteps approaching, but didn't care enough to look who it was. My mind was clouded with pain and my eyes began to water, when a new sensation filled me.

I felt hands, one on my shoulder, the other on my knee. I slowly opened my eyes to reveal a very concerned looking Liam.

"Sabina, are you okay?" The worry was evident in his voice.

I bit my lip. The pain was starting to fade. It was probably just from the intense impact; nothing felt permanently damaged.

I nodded before wiping at my moist eyes. Furrowing his brow, Liam reached up and grasped my hands. Bringing them down from my face, he brought his own up to swipe the remaining tears away gently with the pad of his thumb.

"Are you sure? I can call one of the workers and take us out." I slid my hand into his, opening my mouth to stop him.

"Really, I'm fine. I wasn't expecting the ramp and the impact was pretty rough, but I'm okay now. Help me up, you ass, and give me a head start. It's only fair for your injured girlfriend."

I looked up at him with wide eyes and batted my lashes teasingly. He grinned down at me, pulling me to my feet.

"Okay, but if you keep calling me mean names, I'll follow you until you have no chance of ever winning." I just winked at him cheekily before dashing away back into the fray.

I heard him chuckling in the distance as I continued to crouch and shoot like the super ninja I was.

The game continued intensely until the sirens went off, signaling the end.

We all gathered back into the main room, undressing from our equipment and making bets on the winner. Eagerly, we grabbed for the score papers at the front desk. A moment of silence.

"Hell yes, baby! We won!" Louis shouted.

All the boys jeered and poked fun at us as we exited the venue. Us girls exchanged eye rolls and amused looks.

Suddenly, an understanding was passed between us. Under the street lamps in the dark parking lot, the mood changed.

We watched as Amanda pulled Louis close by the suspenders. She leaned up, pressing he lips to his cheek, his jaw, the corner of his mouth. She spoke in his ear just loud enough for us to hear,

"Ya know, baby, I'm really tired. My house is empty without my brothers or my parents." Her voice was low, with a seductive edge. He grinned, going in to plant a kiss on her lips, taking her 'hint'.

Right before their lips met, she turned in his arms, continuing, "So you won't mind taking me home, would you, Col? I'm beat."

Colleen smirked, pulling her hand from Niall's to yawn and stretch exaderatedly.

"Yeah, no problem. I'm ready to spend a nice night watching movies," She glanced up at a happily smiling Niall before ending with, "with my dog."

His expression turned confused as me and Nicole agreed, claiming to be too tired to continue the night.

With befuddled boyfriends behind us, we skipped off to Col's car.

"3, 2," I counted as we slowed our pace to the car.

"1."

"WAIT!"

The boys came running in our direction, grabbing us and swearing apologies and to never be sore-winners again (which we all knew was a lie.) It sounded good, though, and we accepted the pleas.

Liam grabbed me by the loops of my shorts and pulled me to him. I smirked up at him.

"You are a cruel woman and I don't know how I stand you," he whispered into my ear. I pulled back, an eyebrow raised. He smiled down at me, melting my heart.

"It's probably the eyes. Or that cute laugh you do when I tickle you for remote privileges. Whatever it is, I want to keep it, okay? Deal?" I laughed at his dorky cuteness.

"Deal," I whispered before pressing my lips to his.

The drive home consisted of us talking and laughing loudly, jamming out to LMFAO and Beyonce.

One by one, the couples were deposited at the female's house: Zayn at Nicole's, then Lou at Amanda's. It was only me and Liam left.

We sat in comfortable silence, content to watch the stars shoot by out the window.

"Hey, Liam. Have you ever noticed how no matter what direction or how fast you're going, the moon always stays right there in the same place? Like it's following you?"

I turned to face him. His eyes held love and adoration, wonder and happiness. I knew it was directed at me and it made the butterflies in my stomach throw an epic Mardi Gras celebration.

"Yeah. I wrote a report about it in fourth grade." I laughed, covering my mouth.

"Did you really?" I questioned through my giggles. He smiled a bit shyly, nodding.

"My teacher liked it so much, she gave it a gold star and hung it up." I coughed to stop my laughter.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know I was in the presence of an author."

He chuckled, gripping my hand a little tighter.

Bliss.

I looked forward and noticed for the first time that Niall was holding Colleen's hand in the front seat. They hadn't spoken a word since Amanda and Lou left, but they still seemed content.

Every couple seconds, he would glance over at her from the road, smiling every time.

Precious.

Finally, she pulled into my driveway. We said our goodbyes, promising texts later.

As we slid out of the car, I took a minute to look up and thank my lucky stars for the perfect friends, the perfect night, and the perfect love.

We entered my house, heading straight for the couch. I put on some random 80s film my mom left on the table and snuggled under the comforter with Liam.

Melting into his warmth, I let my eyes close for a moment. I hadn't realized how tired I really was.

I knew I wouldn't last, and before long I felt my head drift to his shoulder. A soft pair of lips connected with my forehead, earning a content sigh from me.

"Goodnight, princess. I love you," he whispered into my skin. A small smile crept onto my face, sending me into a much-needed sleep.

Perfection.


End file.
